Six two day national adaptation sessions have been scheduled for selected Participating States including Bahamas, Belize, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands and Virgin Islands (UK). The first in the series of workshops was held in Anguilla on February 7-8, 2011 under the auspices of the Department of Disaster Management (DDM), Anguilla.
During the workshop, national representatives:
- became familiar with the Model tsunami and storm surge warning information dissemination protocols,
- supported the adaptation of a country-specific tsunami warning information dissemination protocols,
- tested country-specific tsunami protocols through table-top exercises, and
- evaluated national warning information dissemination protocols toward the development, promotion and adaptation of country-specific tsunami protocols.
The workshop also informed the expansion of the tsunami and other coastal hazards end-to-end warning system, and complemented other outputs of the Tsunami and other Coastal Hazards Warning Systems Project including the development of multi-media materials, the execution of campaigns to raise public awareness, and the reproduction of multi-media educational materials for teachers.
The Tsunami and other Coastal Hazards Warning Systems Project is one of many in support of CDEMA’s Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) Strategy and Framework 2007 – 2012. The CDM strategy is aimed at enhancing the capacity of Participating States to prepare for and manage hazards. The all-hazards, all-phases approach of the CDM Strategy has highlighted gaps in the CDEMA system which must be addressed in order to minimise the impact of tsunamis and other coastal hazards in the Participating States. These gaps include an absence of preparedness-related public awareness activities and teacher educational materials, as well as the need for the development and use of standard operating procedures (SOPs) in order to ensure appropriate and immediate responses by all sectors of the population, should these events occur. These gaps have been largely addressed in a previous component of the tsunami and other coastal hazards project and this expansion phase is intended to capitalize on the outcomes and gains of the previous component and incorporate lessons learned.
For more information, please contact
Dr. Virginia Clerveaux
Senior Programme Officer (SPO)
Haiti Technical Assistance Programme (HTAP) &
Government of Australia Disaster Risk Reduction Initiatives,
Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA),
Building #1 Manor Lodge Complex,
Lodge Hill, St. Michael, Barbados, W.I
Tel. (246) 425 0386 Ext. 237; Cell (246) 269-5959; Fax (246) 425 8854
E-mail:
Website: www.cdema.org